Sutra 14

Devanagari script

तत्रापि महासारमल्पमल्पसारं वा प्रभूतमिति महासारमल्पं श्रेयः वज्रमणिमुक्ताप्रवालहेमरूप्यधातुर्हि प्रभूतमल्पसारमत्यर्घेण ग्रसते इत्याचार्याः ॥ कZ_०७.१२.१४ ॥

Transliteration

tatrāpi mahāsāram alpam alpasāraṃ vā prabhūtam iti mahāsāram alpaṃ śreyaḥ vajramaṇimuktāpravālahemarūpyadhātur hi prabhūtam alpasāram atyargheṇa grasate ity ācāryāḥ

Translation

ในที่นี้ด้วย—จะเลือกผลผลิตมูลค่าสูงปริมาณน้อย หรือผลผลิตมูลค่าต่ำปริมาณมากก็ได้; ที่ดีกว่าคือผลผลิตมูลค่าสูงปริมาณน้อย เพราะเพชร อัญมณี ไข่มุก ปะการัง และแร่ทองคำกับแร่เงิน—แม้มีปริมาณน้อย—แต่ด้วยราคาที่สูงยิ่งยวดก็ ‘กลืน’ ผลผลิตมูลค่าต่ำปริมาณมากได้ ตามคำของอาจารย์ทั้งหลาย

Word by Word

तत्रthere; in that context

अपिalso; even

महा-सारम्(something) of great essence/value

अल्पम्small (in quantity)

अल्प-सारम्of little essence/value

वाor

प्रभूतम्abundant; in large quantity

इतिthus; as (it is said)

महा-सारम्(that which is) high-value

अल्पम्small (quantity)

श्रेयःis preferable; better

वज्र-मणि-मुक्ता-प्रवाल-हेम-रूप्य-धातुःdiamond, gem, pearl, coral, gold, silver, and metals

हिfor; indeed

प्रभूतम्abundant

अल्प-सारम्low-value (goods)

अति-अर्घेणat an excessive price; with very high value

ग्रसतेswallows up; outweighs; dominates

इतिthus

आचार्याःthe teachers (authorities)

Entities Mentioned

diamond

gems

pearls

coral

gold

silver

ores

FAQs

What is the key economic principle in this verse?

Value density: small quantities of high-value goods can outperform large quantities of low-value goods in revenue terms.

Why would a state prefer high-value, low-bulk resources?

They generate more revenue per unit, reduce transport/storage burdens, and can be strategically traded or stockpiled.